What Hurts The Most Is When You're Gone
by purpledolphin1
Summary: I have no idea how to put this but let's just say that in this story Ziva dies. So Character death! ONE-SHOT!


**Hey! Hehe I plan on dedicating this mid-term to fanfics. This is one among many of them. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:**I sadly do not own NCIS. If I did then Ziva would never have left.

It had been a week since Ziva's disappearance and they were no where near to finding her.

**One week and one day earlier**

Ziva and Tony waited anxiously for McGhee to come into the office.

Ding!

''Good morning, McGhee,''

''Good morning, Ziva,''

''Morning McGhee,''

''Tony?'' he said a little bit weary.

He sat down and turned on his computer. He was typing his password when his fingers got stuck. Not again. Tony and Ziva burst out laughing.

''Really Tony. Even you , Ziva?''

''I am not laughing because I had anything to do with it. I'm laughing because it is funny. It is not?'' she said as she walked back to her desk. Tony was still standing next to McGhee's desk.

''When will you stop being so gullible, McGhee. I mean…''

Whack!

''Get to work Dinozzo. We've got a dead marine.''

'' Right boss.''

Gibbs reached into his drawer and pulled out glue remover. Daddy bear knows his cubs very well. He threw it at Tony , who immediately started ungluing him.

''Ziver, gear up. You're with me. We are going to the crime scene. Dinozzo, McGhee, you guys head to the base of Petty Officer Derek Peters,''

''How come we already have an I.D. ?''

''Because he's been missing for two months,''

#####NCIS#####

Gibbs and Ziva went to the crime scene which unlucky for them was near a jogging path. They met with a crowd of people. Great. They showed their badges and were let through.

''What you got Duck?''

''This is definitely Petty Officer Derek Peters. Under all these torture scars once lived an honourable man, ''

''Torture?'' Ziva asked.

''Oh yes! This man suffered severe torture. Lacerations to his arms and feet. Cigarette burns on his hands. Whip marks to his back. Broken metatarsals. I guess she was hit with a metal pipe to the scales of his feet,''

''Wow!'' said Palmer

''There is nothing wowing about being tortured Mister Palmer,''

''I know Doctor Mallard, it's just…I'm gonna shut up now,''

''Cause of death?'' asked Gibbs.

''Gunshot to the chest. He had a slow painful death and by the looks of it, I place cause of death about a week ago,''

''So he was tortured for seven weeks then killed. But why dump him somewhere so open?'' asked Ziva

''That's what we're going to find out. Ziver search the area for evidence,''

She was out of sight in a flash. She was walking down a path which was stained with blood. Drag marks. She took pictures as she moved forward then she found a note.

**IT'S YOUR TURN**

Ziva turned to call Gibbs when a needle was injected in her neck and she immediately turned limb. The drugs activated so fast, she didn't even get a chance to fight back. She was dragged to the back of the van and drove off.

At this time Tony and McGhee had come back from the base.

''Anything?''

''Nothing boss. He just said that Derek was a good guy. Never got into it with anyone. There was some rivalry between him and a petty Officer Leo Gilbert Junior but he was given a dishonourable discharge three months ago. They claimed that….''

''Wait! Who did you say?''

''Petty Officer Leo Gilbert Junior,''

''Ziver! Ziver! Ziver!'' he called out but no one replied. He went down the path she had gone. McGhee and Tony were trailing Gibbs utterly confused. Gibbs found the note and sighed.

''What's going on boss?'' asked Tony

''We just lost Ziva,''

#####NCIS#####

They were back at the Navy Yard, Tony and McGhee asking questions that Gibbs never answered .Director Vance already in the bullpen.

''I hear we have a situation .I thought you cleared Operation Dark Horse,''

''Well, so did we,''

''Sorry to interrupt but we have no idea what's going on,'' said Tony

Gibbs turned to the director and he nodded.

''McGhee open Operation codename, Operation Dark Horse,''

''It's password protected,''

The director handed him a piece of paper and as soon as he typed in the password, files all labeled 'Classified'

''Five years ago, I placed Agent Gibbs and David on a top secret mission Operation Dark Horse.'' Director Vance said.

''What was it about?'' asked Tony.

''We were mission leaders to track, hunt and kill a man known as the Dark Ghost,''

''Why is there dark everywhere?''

They all shot Tony a look that immediately shut him up.

''He was a threat to the country and needed to be put down,''

''I don't think it's time to play judge. I mean Ziva is still missing,'' said Tony.

''It took us three months to track him down and when we found him he was about to launch a nuclear bomb. The bad part was his son was with him. He resisted arrest as so he was put down in front of his son .He was sixteen years. Since the mission never existed, it was never spoken of again and Leo Gilbert Senior's death had never occurred,'' said Gibbs.

''I took them three months to track him down. I'm sure it might take longer to find his son, he does know every single technic his father used,'' said Vance.

''So let's get to work,''

They took whatever evidence they had to Abby who was emotional mess.

''What if we never find her? What if she's already….already…'' her tears came even more.

''Abbs! Abby! Abigail!'' Gibbs shouted and she stopped crying. He never was good with crying women. Not Kelly. Not Shannon and definitely not Abby.

''We will find her and she will be alive. Got it?''

She nodded.

''Good. Now let's get our girl back,''

Gibbs gave her a hug. Which he never did to anyone except his two little girls and one of them was missing.

Meantime, Tony had gone to see Ducky.

''Hey Ducky!''

''Hello Antony. By what may I owe this pleasure?''

''Just one question. How long after was the officer…tortured?''

''You're worried about Ziva's fate,''

''Please Duck. I just….I just..I..just want to know,''

''Evidence shows two weeks,''

''So she could be suffering right now,''

Tony wasn't really asking, he already knew the answer to that. He was becoming agitated and he didn't know why. Of course his partner whom he was in love with…

Wait

Love

Shit

Tony was freaking out. He was in love with his partner and notjust his partner , his best friend too. He was in love with her.

''I am in love with her,''

''I beg your pardon. You're in love with my cat?''

Tony hadn't remembered he was in the room with someone else and while he was thinking Ducky must have started one of his many, many stories.

''Yes, I am in love with your cat…..your cat's behavior,''

''She is quite impressive. I remember this one time…''

''Sorry but I am needed upstairs. Maybe you can tell me that story later,''

''Of course and ,Antony. Please find her.''

''I will Duck. I will.''

How wrong they were

######NCIS######

It had been a week since Ziva's disappearance and they still hadn't found her. Everyone was tired. McGhee's eyes hadn't left the computer trying to find a link. They were scarlet red. Tony hadn't showered or changed, well he showered in the gym showers, for days. Gibbs' blood by then was purely caffeine. Abby on the other hand was pumped of Caf-pow. Even Ducky, who had no reason to stay, remained trying to help. Director Vance was on the phone with any agency willing to help. They were losing hope and they were losing it fast. Then it happened.

Ding!

''Guys! Guys! I got a hit!''

'' Gear up ! McGhee fill us in on the way,'' said Gibbs.

As usual Abby and Ducky remained behind but it took a lot of force to make them stay. Lucky for them, it was only a twenty minute drive. Eight if you let Gibb's drive. And since Gibbs drove they were there in eight minutes. Without letting time pass they suited up and stormed in. The small abandoned home was empty so they went were every psychotic killer does his work. The basement.

They walked down the stairs and only saw one door

''TELL ME!TELL ME WHERE AGENT GIBBS LIVES!''

There was silence then the sound of a crackling whip followed by a piercing scream .They kicked down the door and stepped in.

Oh

My

Gosh

Ziva was having cigarette burns on her arms. Cut marks on her thighs and soles of her feet. Twigs under her nails and her back was being whipped. She was dressed only in her tank top and shorts.

A modest serial killer.

''Ah! Agent Gibbs, we meet again,''

''Ziva, are you okay?'' Tony asked.

''You must be Agent Dinozzo. The one in love with his partner,''

''Tony?'' asked McGhee.

''Really McGhee! Now!''

''Oh yes! I have been monitoring your team and I know quite a lot,''

''Come on Leo ,give it up,'' said Gibbs as he pointed his gun at him.

''I don't think so,'' he said and pulled out a gun pointing it at Ziva.

''Leo, drop it or I'll shoot,''

''Not before, I do''

A gun shot rang through the air.

''Ziva!''

She fell to the ground. Gibbs put two into Leo's chest and he was down. Ziva was bleeding from the abdomen and Tony applied pressure.

''McGhee! Call an ambulance!'' he shouted.

''Tony…''

''No Ziva, you need to preserve your energy,''

''Tony I don't think I'm gonna make it,''

''No Ziva! I promised to get you back alive and you are coming home with me , alive!''

Tony was close to tears.

''Tony…'' she began as her eyes closely closed,''….Ani oheva otacha,''

''Ani ohev otcha,''

Tony gave her a soft kiss to the lips as her eyes finally closed.

''Ziva? Ziva? Ziva! ZIVA!''

''Dinozzo…''

''No boss, she can't be dead. She…she can't be,''

''Ziva !Ziva!''

#####NCIS#####

''Ziva! Ziva!''

Tony shot out of his bed, sweating profusely.

''Tony are you okay?''

Tony turned to the woman beside him and gave her the biggest kiss ever,

''I'm just happy to have you, Ziva''

''Me too ahava. By the way, if Katie wakes up, you are in charge of diaper change,''

Ziva said as she went back to sleep and rested her head on her husband's chest. Tony held onto her tightly and said.

''Gladly,''

**The End.**

**As if me ,a huge Cote De Pablo fan can kill her ,even in a fanfiction. Ha! Unless I've lost all my memory and gone mad ,and I still wouldn't kill her off. Shalom!**


End file.
